Letter: Time to take money out of politics

Published December 14, 2013 at 11:04 am

To the Editor:

Some people think that we need a third party in Washington. In my opinion, a third party is not the answer. You put different people in our present system and soon they will act the same as our present politicians act. We need to change the system.

Presently, our federal government has become a criminal enterprise. Everything of any importance in Washington is done with a bribe. Of course they don’t call it a bribe, or they would all be in jail. Instead, they call it a campaign contribution.

Will Steger was once asked what qualities he looked for in the people he took on his polar expeditions. He said he can teach them all the skills they need to have. The one thing he can’t teach is attitude. One bellyacher can drag down the whole expedition. He doesn’t take bellyachers.

There isn’t one Republican in Congress today who would make it on Will Steger’s team. This constant bellyaching about everything the Democrats and Obama try to do is dragging the whole country down.

Don’t get me wrong — the Democrats aren’t much better. When you look at the much-needed programs like Social Security and Medicare, there is massive fraud and waste. What are they doing about it? Nothing that I’m aware of! Although health insurance for everyone is much needed, it is also an opportunity for more waste and fraud.

The problems we have in this country are easily solvable. You look at what we have accomplished when we cooperate: the bridges that have been built, the highway system, the moon landing. Our country has a lot of talented people, but we need to get those people focused on solving those problems. They cannot be distracted by side issues like getting re-elected.

So what’s the answer? We have to take money out of politics. There is no reason these politicians can’t pay their own way. A politician enters politics with modest wealth and leaves the political arena years later a multi-millionaire. How does this happen? You figure it out.

We don’t need a million-man march on Washington. We need a 10 million-man march that stays right there until changes are made.